


Long Overdue

by thinlizzy2



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Accidental Soul Bond, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, First Time, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Pining, Sex Pollen, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-06-02 20:38:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19449106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinlizzy2/pseuds/thinlizzy2
Summary: When Peter develops a mysterious illness after he and Tony stop a supernatural incident at a museum, Tony promises to do everything he can to find a cure.  His search takes him down some strange paths and makes him realize just how far he would go to save Peter, and why.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LearnedFoot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LearnedFoot/gifts).



> I've largely lost track of what happens when in the MCU, but Peter is roughly eighteen or nineteen here. He's alive, Tony is alive, and IW/Endgame never happened.

Tony Stark grimaced as he took in the scene in front of him. His eyes scanned the unfolding situation, from the rather distressing giant hole that had been somehow ripped in the sky over the building to the extremely localized storm that seemed to be mostly occurring _indoors_. He gave a glance to the nearby panicking crowd that was clearly on the verge of acting in the very reckless ways that only panicking crowds could really pull off. And then he nodded, conceding the point. 

“Okay, kid. I’ll admit that when you called me with a problem at the _museum_ , I was expecting to be underwhelmed. But I’m well and truly whelmed here. This is whelming.” There was a crash of lightning in one of the windows and then a shower of broken glass. Luckily, the crowd decided to be ever-so-helpful by screaming and pushing each other a lot, so that was nice. “Maybe a little too whelming.” 

Peter Parker looked just as worried about the crowd as Tony was; he kept his voice low as if trying not to be overheard. “I tried to get in there before, but as soon as I got to the third floor it was like the storm started targeting me. It was all over the place until I arrived, but then everything just focussed in on me and I couldn’t get past the door. 

“And you thought, 'hey, Tony Stark probably hasn’t been pelted with giant hail or struck by lightning recently! He might like this; I should call him?'” Peter’s head dropped a bit and Tony instantly hated himself. He still forgot, sometimes, how new Peter was to this whole superhero thing and how critical he could be of his own choices and instincts. “I’m joking. Badly. Really, I’m glad you called. This definitely looks like a two-person job. So, third floor, huh? Do you think that’s the center of it, or is that just the place where the building decided you’d gone far enough?” 

“It’s the center.” Peter sounded confident of that. “I’ve been monitoring it. Most of whatever’s going on inside is happening there. I know it looks like there’s activity on the second and fourth floors too, but I think that’s just the edges of it.” 

From what Tony could see, that looked pretty much right. “So what’s on the third floor? You’re a nerd and this is your neighborhood; you’ve got to know. Is it too much to hope that it’s the gift shop? I was actually thinking the other day that I could use a set of haunted tea-towels, maybe a cursed refrigerator magnet...” 

“It’s Ancient Worlds.” And Tony felt the smirk melt right off his own face and was glad the kid couldn’t see him under the mask. That sounded like it could be... problematic. Peter went on. “Not like, prehistoric ancient world. Ancient civilizations.” 

“So we’re fighting mummies, not raptors. Got it.” Tony surveyed the building again, trying to forumate a plan. “Okay, so let’s each take the windows in. If the storm is somehow sentient, maybe that will take it by surprise and give it less time to react than it would have if we took the stairs. You go in by the east side and I’ll take the west. That way we can divide up its attention.” 

“The east side is where the least storm activity is.” Peter protested. “The west is the most chaotic. Which means you’re trying to get yourself right into the worst of it.” 

Tony felt a little flash of pride in his bright young protégé. Of course Peter had already measured up the situation and realized he was being protected. Fortunately, just because the kid knew about it didn’t mean that Tony had to stop. “Sorry, can’t hear you!” He took off, letting his thrusters drown out any further objections from Peter. “Too busy kicking Nefertiti’s ass to argue!” 

He reduced his speed just enough to make sure that Peter was actually heading to the east and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he was. The kid might not like the plan, but he did know better than to try to improvise mid-battle if it could be avoided. Tony entered by a west-side window and was immediately stunned at the chaos. Huge chunks of the building infrastructure seemed to have been ripped away. Downed electrical wires sparked and smoked, writhing on the ground like wounded snakes. Wind and rain slammed into him with punishing force and without his suit he would have been pushed right back out the window. On the upside, he didn’t see any mummies or dog-headed gods or likeable Canadian actors, so that was something to be grateful for. Across the room, Peter was holding his own, carefully surveying the hazards and moving carefully, which brought the count of things Tony was grateful for up to two. His eyes darted along Peter’s path and realized the kid was heading into the very middle of the frenzy, a place where lighting danced and dark clouds gathered and rolled ominously, always in motion and somehow constantly deepening... 

Over a little carved box. 

Tony blinked in surprise. He knew, of course, that size wasn’t everything, but of all the items in the museum this was one of the least impressive looking. Still, the storm clearly disagreed with him, so he pushed forward, trying to beat Peter there and hopefully sort this out without putting the kid in any greater danger than necessary. He was grateful for the strength of his armor as the wind roared around him, seeming to deliberately toss the heaviest and sharpest objects his way. Somehow, over the roar of the weather, he managed to hear Peter’s frantic _Mr. Stark!_ and dive out of the way of a ritual spear that looked like it may have been able to pierce metal. 

“Thanks, kid,” Tony whispered, and decided he’d need to make this quick. He turned his thrusters up to full and ignored the battering force of the objects colliding with him, focussing his energy on that little box. He felt like the wind was inside his suit; like the storm had gotten _in_ somehow, but he still managed to find a way to close his fingers over the artifact. 

The result was sudden, blinding pain. Tony screamed as his skin suddenly felt like it was catching fire. The burning was startlingly real, almost unbearable, and his body acted of its own accord, flinging the little box across the room as hard as he could manage it. “Peter!” He wanted to yell for Peter to get out of the way, to not go near it, but he was weak from the flight and the pain and Peter misunderstood, swinging nimbly over the catch the box in mid-air. Tony flinched, waiting to see the young man crippled by pain. 

And then everything stopped. The storm disappeared as if it had never been, the lights came back up and the museum was as clean and neat as if nothing at all had happened. Tony felt his jaw drop open as Peter pulled back his mask, clearly bemused at the turn of events but not seeming to be in any pain at all. He studied the artifact with wide eyes. “It doesn’t look like much, does it?” He lifted the lid and peered inside, then smiled hopefully at Tony. “Is it over? Do you think we won, Mr. Stark?” 

And then his eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled to the ground. “Hey!” Tony gathered him up, desperately searching for some kind of clue as to what was happening. He slapped Peter’s cheeks lightly, hoping to revive him. But Peter just lay in his arms, limp and still and unresponsive, and Tony felt a cold dread spreading over his heart.


	2. Chapter 2

There were many times when being Tony Stark was an overrated experience, but when he was trying to get help for a sick friend wasn’t one of them. Peter faded in and out of consciousness as Tony got him checked into the Maria Stark wing of Stark Memorial Hospital, but by the time that Tony had pulled the very best of the hospital’s specialists and surgeons from their regular cases the boy was weak and pale but coherent. 

“We’re going to get this sorted out, kid,” Tony promised him. “You’ve got my word on that.” 

And Peter nodded his head, all trusting innocence. “I know you will, Mr. Stark.” And the faith in his eyes nearly broke Tony. 

May Parker had rushed in at that point, worry radiating off of her in waves, and so Tony had taken that opportunity to go and compose himself. Once he was sure his voice wouldn’t shake, he called R&D over at Stark Industries and waited for his most competent lab tech to be found. After he tasked her with setting up a research team and explained the first battery of tests he wanted to have run, there was no one left to call but Bruce. 

“I know you’re elbow-deep in your own research,” Tony apologized. “You know I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t urgent.” 

“Shoulder-deep, at least.” The other scientist admitted. “But if you say it’s urgent, then it’s urgent. Remind me again, he’s how old?” The answer made Bruce sigh. “Shit. Yeah. I’m on my way.” 

Tony sent a helicopter to pick him up and then went back to check on Peter. To his dismay, it didn’t look like the kid had improved any further in his brief absence. On the contrary, tinges of blue were beginning to appear around his mouth again and his hair was damp with sweat. His aunt pulled Tony out into the hall. “Look, I’m not going to pretend that you and I have ever been best friends,” May Parker began. Tony opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off with a look. “Save it. It doesn’t even matter. Because I do actually believe that you care about Peter. Like as a person, not as a foot soldier or a means to an end. Stop me if I’m wrong here.” 

Tony was hesitant to speak in case his voice revealed exactly how right she was. He really did want the best for Peter, in all possible ways. Yes, that meant helping him to become the best-trained freaky little wall-climbing spider-mutant he could be, but it also meant so much more. He wanted Peter to have the best possible _life_. A good career, a stable home, maybe a wife and some kids when the time came. Happiness – Tony wanted Peter to be _happy_. He looked at the door that led to where Peter lay, sick and scared and far too trusting. 

He shook his head. May wasn’t wrong. 

“Good.” Her voice was firm. “So _fix_ this.” 

“I promise.” Tony tried his best to sound like his usual, self-assured self. “I’m going to do everything I can.” 

He meant it too, because the alternative was absolutely fucking unthinkable. And doing everything he could meant getting his ass into a lab and making himself useful with more important things than fetching Peter water or stroking his hair. So he allowed himself one more glance at the young man in the hospital bed, looking thinner and smaller than Tony could ever remember him looking before, and then he forced himself to go.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony should have known it was bad news when Bruce came into his office and then sat there in silence, quietly contemplating him. In situations where the solutions were simple, Bruce Banner was a talker - perhaps from a habit formed over a lifetime of being cut off by bigger, dumber boys or perhaps just because his impressive brain just generated too many ideas for his skull to hold. But Bruce falling silent meant that the situation was at an ‘I sometimes turn into a giant green ball of rage’ level of messed up, and that was not acceptable. 

“Spit it out, Banner. The kid needs solutions.” 

It was true. Peter wasn’t doing well. For whatever reason, Tony had the good luck to consistently visit during Peter’s high points. When he was there the kid could usually talk, ask questions, and Tony had even succeeded in getting some food into him a couple of times. But he’d seen Peter’s charts and he knew that the situation was usually far more dire. He was getting scared that they were running out of time. 

Bruce laid the little box on the table. “Okay, so it’s an ancient Cordonian artifact.” 

“Never heard of Cordonians before.” 

“I hadn’t either! Which is a real flaw in our public school system, because they were pretty damn _fascinating_.” Even in what might be a life or death situation, Bruce apparently had a hard time not being thrilled by new discoveries. “Tony, they might have been the first and only civilization to copulate themselves to death.” 

Tony stared at him. “Okay, that’s... what?” 

“Seriously, they were known for their orgies. And they made the Romans look like prudes. Their ceremonies would last for days, and some of their surviving art and poetry show people needing to be carried out because they banged themselves into a state of sheer exhaustion. It looks like some of them would even forget to eat; they starved to death fucking each other. They were like the bonobo chimps of the ancient world.” 

“Fuck. All right, that’s definitely interesting. But what does it have to do with Peter?” 

“Well obviously they couldn’t keep that going without some kind of chemical help. It’s just not biologically possible.” 

Tony’s head was starting to hurt. He rubbed at his temples. “You’re telling me we’ve been at this for days, and the best you’ve been able to come up with is ancient Viagra?” 

Bruce tapped the box with one gloved finger. “I’m telling you that this is a Cordonian aphrodiasiac vessel. The scholars who study the society believe that they were given to each Cordonian at their coming of age ceremony, filled with a powder that could induce uncontrollable levels of arousal. The Cordonians literally had to fuck or die; if they found a partner and got themselves sorted out early enough they would be fine. The health risks came if they waited too long; giving people a dose and then denying them access to a partner within the safe time frame was actually a form of execution in Cordonia. No one’s sure exactly what it contained, but there are traces of _something_ I can’t figure out in the seams of his box. Here. Put a mask on.” 

Tony didn’t need to be told twice. He and Bruce secured surgical masks carefully, and then Bruce opened the container. Tony could see the fine residue in the corners of the box, apparently all that was left over of some ancient Cordonian’s best prom night ever. “Let’s swab it. We can get it down to the lab, run some tests-” 

“I’ve already done that.” Bruce interrupted him. “But we’re asking the computers to analyze the effects of botanical compounds made from plants that were modified out of existence centuries ago. And which has been stored in unknown conditions, and never been tried on a body that was exposed to modern medicine. There are tons of variables, so all I’m getting are percentages and possibilities. If I’m even right about what this is, it’s going to make rigging up an antidote especially tricky. 

Tony dropped his head into his hands. He remembered Peter unmasking in the museum, smiling broadly at him in triumphant excitement, and it made his heart ache. Was that when he had inhaled the toxic residue? When he had wanted his mentor to see how proud he was? 

“I did try it on rats.” Bruce was still talking. “I had to dilute it, to make sure I’d have enough for more tests, but I mixed it up into a serum and injected two lab rats.” 

“And?” Tony wasn’t sure what to hope for. 

“They fucked,” Bruce confirmed. “But they’re rats, Tony. Rats fuck each other. They aren’t shy. Still... I guess what I’m saying is that there are just too many variables here for me to know for sure what’s going on, but right now that’s my best guess.” 

“Your working theory is that Peter got a faceful of prehistoric Cialis and is now suffering from terminal horniness? And he needs to get laid or die?” 

Bruce shrugged. “I need more data to be sure, but yeah. Right now, that’s the best I’ve got. I know how it sounds.” 

And so did Tony. It sounded about as likely as an experiment with radiation turning his good friend into a large green rage monster or old Norse gods living it up on a planet made of rainbows. 

Which meant that it was far too likely for him to dismiss it.


	4. Chapter 4

The medical staff had told Tony that Peter was far too sick for visitors, but he seemed to perk up when Tony came in. So he gave the doctors a ‘remember who pays your salaries’ look and they backed off, looking over Peter’s charts in murmuring confusion. Which left Tony in peace to have one of the most awkward conversations of his life. 

Luckily, Peter accepted the information without too many objections. The kid knew about both science and scientists, and if a theory was the best that Bruce Banner and Tony Stark had been able to come up then he knew enough to at least respect it. So he flushed bright red but managed to ask what Tony thought his options were. 

“I could try take care of it myself, I guess." Peter looked more embarrassed than Tony had ever seen before, and he refused to allow himself to find that adorable. "I haven’t been... in the mood, what with being so sick, but if you think it’ll help I can.” 

“It won’t work, on your own.” Tony had asked Bruce. Apparently, someone else’s pheromones and body chemistry were a big part of what made the sexual cure work. “You need someone else involved.” 

Peter's whole face was scarlet, but he simply nodded. “I don’t know what to do then. I don’t think we can... get a professional or anything. I’ve never... I don’t know if I can manage the whole spider-strength thing. I’ve never tried.” 

Tony felt stunned. He’d never even considered hiring an escort; he’d only had one plan in mind. “No,” he agreed. “That’s not safe.” And in addition to that, the idea of Peter’s first time being with some uncaring stranger turned Tony’s stomach. “I’m going to... I thought I should help you get this sorted out.” 

He watched Peter take that in. He hadn’t actually imagined any objection. It was a matter of survival, after all. And, the truth was, Tony had known for a while that Peter had a bit of a crush on him. They’d never addressed it and Tony had always just assumed it would pass in time. But, as the silence stretched on, he found himself hoping that affection would be enough to make Peter say yes and save his own life. 

Whether it was his crush or the direness of the situation, Peter eventually nodded. “Yeah. Okay. That might be best.” 

Well then. That was settled. 

Which left the issue of what the hell to do next. Tony looked down at Peter. The boy was sick and wan and obviously struggling to disguise exactly how bad he was feeling. And this was apparently the best he was going to get unless Tony managed to fix this. So he wasn’t going to be able to flip the kid over and just go at it. And his stupid, traitorous dick twitched a little at the thought and Tony experienced a rare moment of hating one of his favorite body parts. 

Meanwhile, Peter was squirming nervously, biting at his own bottom lip. Tony knew him well enough to know that he was about to back out, to say that he couldn’t ask Mr. Stark to do this, that they’d find another way. And because that other way most likely involved Peter dying, there was no way in hell Tony was letting that happen. So he ducked his head and kissed Peter hard on the mouth, biting off any offer of withdrawal that he might have been about to make. And then he kept kissing him, using all of his skills to tease Peter’s mouth open and lick his way inside, holding him just tightly enough to make it clear to the kid that yes, they _were_ doing this. 

“Wow...” Peter sounded stunned when Tony finally pulled back for a wellness check. “That was... wow. Listen, Mr. Stark-” 

Tony kissed him again. It was better than talking, simpler, and it let him ignore the fact that his cock apparently had no problem at all with Peter calling him _Mr. Stark_ in that kiss-dazed voice of his. Tony chose to focus on Peter’s cock instead, sliding his hand under the covers and into Peter’s hospital gown, stroking and squeezing him until his flesh grew thick and hard in Tony’s grip. 

Fuck, human males were amazing. They could be literally dying, but their dicks were still up for some fun. The Corwhatians had known what was up.

Peter broke off the kiss this time, but he didn’t speak. He kept his eyes closed, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Tony thought that the machines monitoring the kid must have been going haywire at this point; it could only be a matter of time before someone came in to check on him. He’d need to move fast, so after a brief glance down the hallway he ducked his head, taking Peter’s erection deep into his mouth, swallowing deeply so that the boy could feel Tony’s warm, wet throat all around him. 

Peter cried out, bucking his hips against Tony’s face. And Tony was really glad he hadn’t brought in a stranger, because anyone unprepared for the strength of that thrust could have dislocated their jaw. As it was, he used his free hand to press against Peter’s chest, reminding him to stay on the bed and lie still. The boy seemed to have got the message, he trembled and shook but kept his movements minimal. So Tony felt like it was safe enough to slide his hand over, to pinch and play with Peter’s nipples as he bobbed his head, taking Peter’s full length in again and again. 

The noises Peter was making made it pretty clear that he was close already. They were also having a hell of an effect on Tony. He tried to ignore it, but his own cock was fully hard now, and just the friction of it rubbing against the inside of his clothing every time he moved up and down was driving him insane. He took his hand off of Peter to put it on himself, just planning to readjust until he could will his erection away. But he was only human and Peter was so warm and responsive under him, his cock weeping pre-come against Tony’s tongue. So he couldn’t help jerking himself off, rubbing frantically at his cock with every slip of his head over Peter’s, his own need speeding up the pace of both those motions. 

Peter made a noise that was different from all the rest. Tony pulled off him, and Peter’s eyes locked on him, canny and aware. He saw what Tony was doing, he realized. He knew that what was meant to be an act of mercy and kindness was turning Tony on to the point where he just couldn’t resist. Peter saw, and then he smiled, and it was that smile that did Tony in. His hand tightened, and then he was coming in his pants like it was him that was the horny teenager. Coming in great, guilty spurts with a moan he couldn’t even try to hold back, a moan that Peter matched as he finally came apart under Tony’s hand, splashing Tony’s face and neck and hopefully saving his own life. 

“Are you all right?” Tony asked, cleaning them both off with the edge of Peter’s sheet. Peter’s expression was reminiscent of shell-shock, and Tony could feel his own cheeks burning. That had been far more participatory then he’d intended, and he honestly felt a little stunned. 

“Yeah.” Peter’s voice sounded raw. “Yeah, it was... yeah.” And Tony couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Definitely very yeah. But I mean, in terms of your health. Did it _work?_ ” 

There was a long pause, and for a moment Tony was afraid that Peter was trying to find a way to break the news to him that it hadn’t. But then he nodded slowly. “I think it might have? I feel better. A lot better, actually, than I did before you came. Arrived. I mean before you arrived.” 

“I got it.” Tony was pretty sure he was now going to think of his next several orgasms as ‘arrivals’, which should make trips to the airport extra fun. “Do you think it’s done? Are you cured?” 

Peter just looked unsure, and Tony’s heart sank. But he reminded himself that Peter had been seriously ill for many days; a full recovery could take time. “I’ll check in again in the morning,” he promised. He had a surprisingly strong urge to stay, to climb into that hospital cot beside Peter and stay close to him for a while. But both his pants and his shirt were a mess, and he really did need to be gone before Peter’s care team showed up. So he stood, and dropped a final kiss on Peter’s forehead. “Get well now. Please.” 

He didn’t let himself look back from the doorway.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony woke up the next morning after a fitful sleep, full of strange dreams about searching for an unknown place, walking until his feet ached and his muscles burned with no success at all. Even in his dreams, he hadn’t known where it was, just that it was essential that he get there. The frustration carried on into his first waking moments, and for a few seconds he contemplated going back to sleep to continue the fruitless search. Then his memories from the day before came flooding back in, and he knew he wasn’t getting any more sleep for a while. 

In the shower, he tried to prepare the words to make it clear to Peter that the previous day had, of course, been a one-time event. He still wasn’t sure how it had gotten so out of hand; how he’d got so caught up in what he’d really thought of as just a necessity. He tried to imagine walking into Peter’s hospital room and finding him sitting up and well again. Things would be a little awkward, sure, but just having the kid be healthy would clearly be worth it. And it was possible that what they had done yesterday had helped Peter get his little crush out of his system; now that he knew what sex with Tony was like he could just file it away in a corner of his brain with other awkward teenage experiences. And he’d move on. 

And that was what Tony wanted. Really. At the very least, he wanted to want it. But it appeared that Tony’s body was less ready to get just past things, because just the thought of what he’d done the day before already had him as hard as a pipe. The ferocity of his reaction to Peter's willingness and arousal had shocked him. Tony was human; he had eyes. It was impossible to ignore the fact that the awkward teenager he’d met a few years ago had grown into a beautiful young man. And Peter’s devotion to Tony, his admiration of him, his sweet crush on Tony... Tony Stark may be many things, but he’d never claimed to be impervious to flattery. Remembering how Peter had trembled and arched under Tony’s touch, the thick length of him in Tony’s mouth and the way he had _tasted_ made it impossible for Tony’s mind to steer away from a place he’d studiously trained it to avoid. He was almost coming before he even touched himself; just a few quick pumps of his cock and he was done, shouting Peter’s name as the shower washed away all the evidence. 

Catching his breath, Tony tried to convince himself that it was fine. People had memories; that was a thing that happened. He’d given Peter a blow job the day before; it was normal that it would stick around in his head for a while. He’d work it out and find a way to deal with it, and even if the memory took up a permanent place in his spank bank that was where it would most definitely _remain._

Tony had no idea why the idea of that made him feel like a hollow place was opening up inside his chest. And he sure as fuck wasn’t going to spend any time or energy on thinking that over. 

Instead, he just focused on the tasks he had to do. Get dressed. Eat breakfast. Get in the car. Go see Peter and have The Conversation. He could do all those things. No reason to feel sick or sad or like he was walking through a strange fog. 

At least until the phone rang. 

Tony listened to May Parker’s frantic voice on the other end of the line, and then he ran out to the car and drove like his own life depended on it. By the time he got to the hospital, Peter’s room was filled with doctors and nurses, all desperately trying to revive the unresponsive boy. No one was allowed in, not even Tony, but he stood beside May in the open doorway, looking at Peter’s pale face and clammy skin and refusing to accept what his eyes were telling him. 

“But he was supposed to be better,” Tony whispered, not sure who he was trying to convince. May looked up at him through her tears. “He said he was feeling better.” 

As if he had suddenly heard Tony’s words, Peter’s eyes suddenly snapped open. The medics buzzed like bees around him in a cloud of baffled activity, but Peter somehow looked past them all. Straight at Tony. 

As their eyes locked, Tony could have sworn that he could somehow feel everything that Peter was feeling: all of his confusion and his hurt, all of his fear as he realized that Tony’s cure hadn’t worked and he might be dying after all. And all of his sadness over the pain that his suffering was causing the two people he loved so much, who were watching helplessly, unable to do anything at all for him. 

All of that flooded into Tony’s mind, as sharp and real as if he were feeling it himself. And it was too much to tolerate, and so he ran. He fled to the car and then to Stark tower, taking the stairs two at a time until he was at the door of the lab he had reserved for Bruce. 

Bruce was already hard at work when Tony burst through the door and practically snarled at him. “We need a new idea.” 

Bruce furrowed his brow. “How do you know that already? Wait, did you-” 

“Yes. And it was a bomb. So let’s make a new plan, hopefully as soon as possible.” 

Bruce’s jaw was hanging open. “Wait. You mean like you tried it _yourself?_ Damn. No judgement Tony, but... unless that’s something you were looking to do anyway it’s one hell of a commitment to alternative medicine.” 

“It. Didn’t. Work.” And that was the only comment Tony ever planned to make on the subject. There was no time for salacious gossip at the moment. “So we need a Plan B. Literally no idea is too out there at this point. Because I’m telling you right now, Bruce. I am _not_ losing this kid.”


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, so Tony had said there were no bad ideas but he still wasn’t sure how Bruce had looked at all the available options and decided the best possible thing to do was invite this woman in to consult. 

Darcy Lewis perched on the edge of one of the lab tables, and Tony had never felt older than he did when he had to fight the urge to pointedly offer her a chair. She looked around at the workspace as she tapped away on her Starkpad. “Great décor in here, gentlemen. It’s kind of early twenty-first century total lack of personality.” 

Tony shot Bruce a look. “You swear she’s an expert? In what?” 

Bruce nodded. “Her original degree was in... was it poli-sci, Darcy?” 

“Yep.” Tony noticed that the wallpaper on her tablet was a picture of Thor topless. “But I switched. I’m a grad student in Classics now.” 

Tony had literally no idea why Bruce thought any of this would be at all helpful. “That’s... quite a change.” 

She shrugged. “Well, when you find out that ancient gods are actually real, smoking hot, living aliens, it tends to raise some questions. I wanted to find out what else was real. And ideally, what else was hot.” 

“She’s one of the world’s leading researchers on Cordonians,” Bruce explained. “I’m hoping she can give us some more details about the artifact.” 

“And I can.” Darcy laid her Starkpad down. Although I’ve got to say, way to bury the lede, Doctor Banner. If you’ve got any old knick-knacks lying around the house, be sure to get them appraised before you have a garage sale. Because you seriously undersold this thing.” 

“Are you saying that it’s _not_ a Corwhatian orgy box?” If that was true, Tony was going to full-on murder Bruce. 

“No, it is.” So Tony supposed Bruce could live another day. Darcy peered at the markings again. “And so much more. I think this might just be the mother of all Corwhatian orgy boxes.” 

Tony drew a deep breath. “Miss Lewis, someone I care about a lot might be dying. Can you please break down whatever the fuck this thing is into short words and simple sentences?” 

She regarded him thoughtfully. “Yes. I can. But I want you to remember this moment the next time someone asks you what you think is a really basic science question. Deal?” 

Tony nodded. “Deal.” 

“Right. So a culture doesn’t just go ahead and structure itself around drug-induced fuck parties, no matter how much fun that might sound. There’s a reason behind it. And for the Cordonians, it was the legend of Prince Rellian. He was the son of one of the founders of Cordonia. Rellian had this tutor, Baxis, who he adored. They were close, in almost every possible way. So one day, Rellian breaks down, confesses his love, and Baxis is into it. He feels the same way. But Rellian’s a prince; he’s supposed to marry a princess and expand the royal line and a whole lot of other heteronormative bullshit. Are you following me all right?” 

Tony attempted a summary. “Prince is hot for teacher; teacher is hot for prince. Have I got it so far?” 

“Pretty much. And one of the things that Baxis was teaching Rellian was magic; he’s a pretty powerful sorcerer. So he and Rellian make a plan. They create an enchantment to bond both of their souls together, so that they can never be forced apart. They’ll be part of each other forever, no matter what the royal tribe decides. There are a whole bunch of conditions around it – I'll spare you all the details – but the important thing is that the ritual sealing the whole thing needs to take place in the middle of a thunderstorm. There needs to be a storm, they need to make a declaration and then they need a physical act to cement everything.” 

“They screwed in a storm?” Tony was unimpressed so far. “This is what counts for magic in Cordonia?” 

“Well, there’s also this powder they need to ingest before it all starts. Ingest or inhale, no one’s really sure of the translation. It was made from a stone that grew the belly of a goat, and then ground by the light of an oak-wood fire using a pestle and mortar made of rose quartz and then-” 

“Powder.” Tony’s head hurt so much. “Understood. Magic powder, like the orgy drug in the boxes.” 

“Not quite. The orgy drug is a _stand-in_ for what Baxis made. It’s a ceremonial representation. The original had no aphrosiac effect. It was just magic. So they wait for the storm, and Rellian does his thing first. And then the magic makes him go a bit woozy for a while and Baxis gets caught up in taking care of him, and by the time he’s well enough to go on the storm has passed. No big deal; it’s the rainy season in Cordonia. So Baxis promises to complete the ritual himself the next time a storm comes around and they figure it’s all fine so far. But in a few days, an offer comes from Maridias, which is a neighboring kingdom. The royals there are offering their most beautiful princess and access to their coastline as part of a marriage contract for Rellian. This would make naval exploration possible for Cordonia; it would significantly increase their land holdings. It would secure their place as leaders in the region. It’s a _good_ offer.” 

“So the prince backed out?” Tony guessed. “And the wizard cursed him.” 

Darcy rolled her eyes. “You’re so unromantic. _No_. He still loves Baxis; he only wants to be with him. _Baxis_ is the one who calls it off. Because he loves the prince so much that he doesn’t want to be what stops him from having it all. Beautiful wife, kids, public adoration, thriving kingdom – he figures it’s too much to give up just to be with someone like him. So he ran away from Cordonia, in the middle of the night. He never came back. Scholars are pretty sure he eventually killed himself, but they’re divided between if he drowned or self-immolated. Again-” 

“Translations.” 

“You _are_ paying attention!” Darcy beamed. “And Rellian died soon after. Because even though Baxis’s soul wasn’t bound to his yet, his soul was bound to Baxis’s. He literally couldn’t live in a world without Baxis in it. All of the best healers were called, but none of them could figure it out. He just got sicker and sicker, and then he died.” 

The very thought of it – a boy with everything to live for dying of an unsolvable illness – was making Tony feel sick. He forced himself to concentrate. “And somehow the Cordonians decided to commemorate this with endless orgies?” 

“Not right away. But time goes on and the civilization evolves. Eventually, the culture gets to the point where they believe in reincarnation. It’s not really reincarnation like we interpret the concept now; it’s not your whole soul being born again in a new body. It’s more like your essence needs to finish its purpose on Earth, so it’s going to keep returning in different forms until it’s allowed to live its full life. And that’s when the practice started. The Cordonians believed that if they could just get Rellian's and Baxis’s essences together to complete the ritual, they could both be at peace. And the easiest way to do that was for as many people as possible to try to complete the ceremony. Did Bruce tell you about the Cordonians who used to keep going with the ritual until they died from exertion? They weren’t just in it for the sex; they were _devout_.” 

And if that didn’t take all of the fun out of orgy-land, Tony didn’t know what would. He rubbed at his eyes. “Okay, but let’s take a couple of steps back. You called this the mother of all orgy boxes. What does that mean?” 

Darcy’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “If I’m right, and I usually am, this is the ritual box that actually belonged to Baxis himself! The original, where he would have stored his first version of the powder!” 

“How can you possibly know that?” 

“Lots of ways.” She picked up the box and held it up to the light. “The wood used in this box is from an earlier strain of Yucca tree than the ones that got used when the practice really took off. The carvings were done with more primitive instruments.” She flipped it over. “And look right here, in the left corner? That’s the part of the heart where Cordonian’s believed love began, the top left.” She pointed at a faint scrawl. “That’s Rellian’s name.” 

There was something in that simple carving that hit Tony with the force of a punch. He didn’t understand why, but he needed to touch it. The wood felt slightly warm under his fingertip, and he found his eyes were stinging. 

Bruce spoke up for the first time since Darcy had started her story. “So, you’re saying you believe this story is _real_? Not just a cultural justification for sexual practices, but a real thing that happened. Is that honestly likely?” 

She shrugged. “The myths around Thor and Loki and Odin are at least partly real, as it turns out. You turn into lime-flavored Mr. Hyde when you get pissed off.” She pointed a finger at Tony. “I’m not sure what keeps him alive, but I’m pretty confident it’s highly improbable. Some things can be amazing, and also true.” 

Tony plucked the box from her hand and slid it into his pocket. “Miss Lewis, I want to apologize for every nasty thing that I’ve thought about you in the last half hour. I want you to know that your tuition is fully paid from here on in, and my assistant is going to send you a blank check that you should use to make yourself extremely happy. Bruce, if you don’t hear from me tomorrow, assume you own Stark Industries.” 

Bruce stared at him like he had gone crazy. “What? What are you talking about? We haven’t _solved_ anything! Where are you going?” 

Tony was already halfway out the door. “Possibly to get arrested for a public act of lewdity. Or maybe to drown or self-immolate; we’ll see where the mood takes me. But before I do that, I’m going to do everything I can to save my prince.”


	7. Chapter 7

Tony had the good sense to stop at the nurse’s station this time and let them know that unless Peter seemed to be in actual mortal danger, he’d appreciate it if he could have some time alone with him. The nurse had nodded, but warned him that Peter might not be able to have a conversion. “He’s in and out of consciousness a lot. And when he’s here, he’s not always lucid.” 

Tony had nodded tersely and repeated his request. He even upgraded it to an order. 

Outside of Peter’s room, he took the little carved box from his pocket. Feeling like a bit of an idiot, he opened it and inhaled deeply. Just to be safe, he ran a finger along the seams of the wood and then licked the tip. He figured that was his best shot. 

It took Peter a moment to stir after Tony arrived, but when he saw his mentor there he gave a weak smile. “Hi. You came back. I wasn’t sure if... I’d get to see you again.” 

That pretty much broke Tony’s heart in two. “Yeah. Same.” He took Peter’s hand and lifted it to his lips. “How are you doing, kid?” 

“I feel... okay. It’s a weird coincidence, but I always feel better when you arrive.” He laughed, though it turned into a cough pretty quickly. “You’re going to start thinking I’m faking this, huh?” 

“Not likely. And possibly not a coincidence.” He stroked Peter’s palm and then threaded their fingers together. "Peter, listen to me. I want to talk to you about before.” 

“Me too.” The boy somehow summoned the strength to sit up. “Let me go first, okay? While I have the energy? Mr. Stark, I don’t want you to feel bad about what happened. Not that it didn’t work and not that it happened at all. I might not get a lot more of the things I want in this life, and so I’m happy I got that. Really happy.” 

Tony swallowed hard. “Peter...” It was so hard to find the right words. “If we had time, like all the time in the world, what else would you want?” 

The boy looked adorable when he blushed. “I guess... everything.” 

“You mean sex?” Tony had to be clear. 

“No.” Peter shook his head. “I mean, yes. Sex. But also just... everything. The thing is, I love you, Mr. Stark. And you love me too, don’t you?” 

Tony almost choked on his laugh. “Am I that obvious?” 

“No, actually. I never even suspected, until what we did before. And then, somehow, I just knew. You do, don’t you? You do love me? Or have I got it wrong?” 

Tony remembered what Darcy had said. The young prince had already bound his soul with that of his tutor, even without the tutor finishing the act. He looked down at Peter. He still wasn’t sure if he believed in any of this, but if anyone was going to be poking around in Tony’s soul he couldn’t have asked for a better choice. “I do. I love you.” 

And then he couldn’t help himself. He had to lean down and kiss Peter. He tried to keep it gentle, remembering that Peter was unwell, but he had been craving him so much, and for so much longer than he’d been willing to admit. One kiss turned into several, the feverish heat building, until Tony needed more than that. Craving the sensation of Peter’s body all along his, he slid into the narrow bed alongside the boy, shedding his own clothes as he went. 

Peter spread his legs, as Tony rolled on top of him, arranging his body so that Tony could fit perfectly. He could feel Peter’s cock stirring, and let himself believe that the young man’s body was recognizing what it needed in order to get well. He rewarded that body as best his could, kissing Peter’s neck and shoulders as he pulled his hospital gown up to his hips so that he could take that hardening flesh in his hand. 

“Wait.” Peter’s protest was little more than a whisper, but Tony forced himself to stop. “I want this, Mr. Stark. Tony, I want this so badly. But I’m scared it’ll hurt.” Tony was about to volunteer to let Peter enter him instead, but Peter interrupted. “ _You_ , I mean. I’m scared it’ll hurt you more. When I go.” 

Tony practically growled at the thought. “You aren’t going _anywhere_ ,” he promised. He pulled Peter’s legs up, pinning the boy to the bed. “You’re going to stay right here, with me.” 

As if the reminder of Peter’s illness had somehow made everything urgent, Tony found that he just couldn’t wait anymore. He wanted to be gentle for Peter; he wished so much that he could take his time. But it was just impossible, and Peter didn’t seem to mind at all as Tony worked his fingers in and out of him. He had nothing but spit to work with and he wished so much that he had thought to stop and buy lube. Peter, however, was begging Tony to give him more, another finger, and deeper, until Tony pulled his fingers free and Peter keened so loudly at the loss that Tony was worried the nurses might disregard his instructions and turn up anyway. 

Well, if they did he’d give them one hell of a show. 

Peter gasped as the head of Tony’s cock entered him, and Tony forced himself to keep his eyes open. It was so tempting to close them and lose himself in sensation, but there was a far greater reward in watching Peter’s mouth fall open, seeing him arch his beautiful neck, watching the color flood back to his cheeks and then, finally, seeing his gorgeous smile as Tony filled him completely. He waited as long as he could to let Peter adjust to the new intrusion, but both his body and his soul were demanding completion. 

“Can I?” Tony whispered against Peter’s neck. “Peter, sweetheart, can I please?” 

“God, _yes!_ ” Peter’s voice sounded far stronger than it had just a few moments ago, and Tony took that as the best possible sign. 

He began to move, sliding in and out of Peter and savoring the sweet heat of his body, as he slowly became aware of what was happening to him. It was incredible. He could feel his own pleasure, the thrill of being enveloped by Peter, but also Peter’s. He could feel Peter’s pleasure at being penetrated, at having Tony inside him, and that joy was Tony’s now too. Love, enough love for two people, swelled inside of him. Peter’s eyes looked huge, his pupils blown, stunned at what he was feeling. But he loved it, Tony knew that he loved it, and a flood of wordless adoration flowed through their new bond. He returned it in kind – Peter was so beautiful, Tony’s brave and beautiful boy, and he reached out with that admiration and love and awe and sent it into Peter. And he believed – no, he _knew_ that love was what drove Peter over the edge. His climax triggered Tony’s and the sensations mixed and twinned over their bond, both of them moaning and clutching each other while Tony filled Peter up with himself. 

Withdrawing from Peter felt like agony, but the boy curled up against Tony’s chest as if by instinct, giving him as much contact as he possibly could. Tony held him tightly. As Peter’s breathing returned to normal, Tony could feel the strong beating of his heart, steady and well. He tipped Peter’s chin up so he could look at his beautiful face. The flush there was all the glow of what they had just done; his fever was gone. 

“I’m better. I’m actually better.” Peter sounded stunned. “I don’t understand, but I’m really going to live, aren’t I?” 

“You’re damn right.” Tony kissed him hard. “You’re going to live _with me_. And I’m going to give you that everything that you’ve been wanting.”


	8. Chapter 8

“All right, wake-up time!” Tony pulled back the curtains, laughing as Peter moaned and slid further under the covers. Peter was never exactly bad-natured, but early mornings were the closest he ever came. Luckily, Tony found the quasi-grumpiness endearing. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty. You’ve got to get up or else we’re going to miss our flight.” 

Peter groaned in annoyance. “I did tell you to let me sleep last night, remember?” 

“Yes, well, I told you to stop being so sexy. You didn’t listen, so why should I?” 

Peter chuckled, somewhat mollified, and emerged from under the blankets. Tony watched as he walked towards the shower, his lithe young body so gorgeous in the morning light. Sometimes it still scared him, how close he had come to never having this. He could have lost Peter forever. He had vowed long ago to never take that risk again. 

“So are you ever going to tell me why we’re taking this trip?” Peter asked, as they sat at the breakfast table. “Not that I mind; you know I’m happy to go anywhere you want. But there was Professor Lewis’s lecture last month, the grant to the museum, and now we’re off to see the ruins of ancient Cordonia? Since when are you interested in ancient civilizations?” 

“What makes you think I have some kind of ulterior motive?” Tony smiled innocently and took a deliberately large bite of his eggs. Peter rolled his eyes as he waited for him to swallow. Tony went on. “I’m a deep man, with many interests. Multiple layers here.” 

Peter raised his eyebrows. “Sorry. I thought you were just a gorgeous, brilliant superhero with a vast fortune and a nation of admirers. I didn’t realize you were also a history buff.” 

Tony loved that the kid was comfortable enough with him to tease him a bit now. Maybe it was a result of their bond, or maybe this was just what Peter was like when he was truly happy, but either way Tony cherished it. “You forgot that I’m also a gorgeous hunk of man with a stellar ass.” 

Peter shook his head. “I never forget that.” 

And Tony considered scrapping the whole trip and taking Peter back upstairs to bed after all. But they were already packed, and he really did want to see what was left of Cordonia with Peter at his side. “You’re right; there is a reason. But I want to tell you when we get there, not before. Trust me, it’s important that I do.” 

On the way out the door, Tony checked his bags one last time. Baxis’s little box was still there, safely wrapped in foam and ready for its long trip home. Tony and Darcy had discussed it and agreed it was only right. Baxis had brought Tony to where he truly belonged; now it was Tony’s turn to take him home too. 

“Ready?” Peter asked, as Tony zipped his suitcase up again. 

“Finally ready”, Tony confirmed, and he followed Peter out the door.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LearnedFoot for Pining Exchange 2019. LearnedFoot, thank you for your great prompts and I hope you have a wonderful fest.


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